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August 2013
Sam Taff/Daily Correspondent Sam Taff/Daily Correspondent Bethany Gochenour, 16, of Lebanon Church, poses with her market heifer while preparing for the Ethan Gochenour, 14, walks his show pig at his Lebanon Church farm recently. Shenandoah County Fair.
Sibling pair prepare for Fair weighing just 30 pounds. When they come in, he’ll work to get them to market weight while maintaining the showmanship and the lean muscle it will take to win a ribbon.
By Sam Taff Daily correspondent
A
s you crest the hill that leads into the Gochenour farm, trees lend the eyes to the beautiful landscape nestled between the mountains west of Lebanon Church in Shenandoah County.
Youth who show their animals at the fair are judged in two categories. Market is the animal’s overall health and appearance. Showmanship has as much to do with the child showing the animal as the animal itself.
A long way from the roar of traffic, where the early 19th century farm sits, crops quietly rustle in the late summer breeze.
Animals judging high in market categories mean more money when the animal is sold. For the youth working with the animal for months it’s typically the showmanship that brings the proud smile.
The family has more than 600 acres where they grow corn and grain and raise cattle, pigs and goats.
“You can’t enter these animals for the money. If you are in it for that you are in it for the wrong reason,” said Gochenour. Hard work and dedication to the animal is what teaches youth the important character traits they will use throughout their lives.
The key to success of the farm, besides the weather, is family. At the Gochenour farm, youth will carry on the tradition started before tractors offered relief to the back-breaking work. Kim Gochenour said she and her husband Jeff hope Bethany and Ethan will help keep the farm alive.
Both Bethany and Ethan spend about three hours each day feeding, grooming and training with their animals.
“They were always out doing stuff, they started bottle feeding the cattle when they were little,” said Gochenour.
When fair week rolls around they will spend all day at the fairgrounds.
She and her husband have never pushed farm work on Bethany, 16, and Ethan, 14. Their children gained an appreciation on their own.
“It’s a lot of fun. We get there around 6 a.m. and we’re there until about 10 p.m. at night,” Bethany said.
Unlike the generations before them, they have a vast amount of knowledge at their fingertips thanks to search engines that can answer questions instantly. However, no amount of website searches gives these two the firsthand knowledge that comes with working around animals every day.
It isn’t all work at the fair though. There is always time for a little fun. “The executive committee at the fair always has something going on for us to enjoy. This year they are having a barn dance Thursday night for all the exhibitors,” Bethany explained.
The teens also pick up needed information from the 4-H mentors and school Future Farmers of America advisors. To keep track of what they put into the farm each day, the two work on journals.
The week at the fair ends with the market sale. Each exhibitor gets a chance to sell two of their animals. “When you sell them it’s the worst part, but it’s the best part too,” Ethan said. Although the animal goes to market it’s a chance for farmers to see their hard work earn a reward and to see how much their animal is worth.
Day in and day out they work on the farm, but it was an uncle who asked Bethany six years ago if she wanted to show her goats at the Shenandoah County Fair. By showing animals at the fair the Gochenours discovered there is more to a farm than just filling the trough each day.
The more work they put into putting an excellent animal to market the better the pay off for the animal at the sale.
Through 4-H and FFA they both keep records of their work, including hours and money they put into their animals. Although the fair only lasts about a week, the work involved in showing an animal at the fair can last an entire year. Bethany and Ethan got their steers and heifers last fall. They have shown cattle, goats and pigs at the fair every year, but it’s easy to see that goats are their favorite. They raise them on the farm and sell them to other children interested in raising and showing goats. Their goats can be seen at fairs up and down the Shenandoah Valley. “Goats are pretty easy,” their mother explained. For children interested in showing at the fair she recommends goats for beginners. “You just need a little fenced in area in your backyard.” It’s that ease of care that has goats on the rise at many fairs, as they are starting to outnumber sheep. This year at the fair the Gochenours will be set up in an area traditionally set for cattle. “They are a lot cuter [than sheep], they have more personality and they are funny,” Gochenour said with a smile. Despite the family goat business, Ethan has a preference to show pigs at the fair. “They are the easiest,” Ethan said while watching for his mom and sister’s reaction. “You don’t have to wash them, you just walk them around the ring and they are tame, they are just like a puppy.” Ethan’s pigs arrive at the farm as early as April,
Sam Taff/Daily Correspondent Ethan Gochenour, 14, left, and his sister Bethany, 16, feed market goats recently in preparation for the Shenandoah County Fair.
A year of effort culminates in fair exhibitions By Sam Taff Daily correspondent
Saturday, but livestock judging runs all week.
E
ach year the Shenandoah County Fair is a place where local exhibitors can show their crafts and livestock to the rest of the county.
With help from local 4-H clubs, Future Farmers of America clubs, the county extension office and the fair executive board, youth and adults get a chance to show off their talents.
Fairgoers gather to look at the animals raised by local youths and the food and crafts of area residents who try their hand at getting a blue ribbon.
Sherry Heishman, Central High School FFA advisor, said she has learned the value of the program from the years her own children have shown livestock at the fair.
It’s a lot of hard work for hundreds of exhibitors, but it’s also a job for judges and fair officials.
“From a teaching standpoint it shows the responsibility and knowledge,” she said.
The culmination of their hard work is the first Saturday of the fair when exhibitors bring their animals and projects to the fairgrounds for judging. For crafts and food the judging takes place
“As a parent [the program] shows the kids how to feed and when to feed to get the animal to market weight,” Heishman added. “It’s a program that needs to be supported by the community. I think
we take for granted how many people don’t know where their food comes from.” Paul Fravel, a local parent whose son will enter the youth arts and crafts categories, agreed. “He is really excited about the anticipation of seeing how well his work did.” The 96th Shenandoah County Fair will take place from Aug. 23 to 31 at 300 Fairground Road, Woodstock. Anyone interested in entering items in the fair should check the fair’s website at www.shencofair.com. Exhibits are dropped off at the fairgrounds the first Saturday morning of the fair and they are judged that afternoon. For more information about the fair, call 540-459-3867. The box office phone is 540-459-7300.
But like their mother said, it’s not about the money, it’s the fruit of the labor for these youth. “It’s a little sad for me,” Bethany said with a smile. “I put a lot of work into it. I’d like the chance to eat it myself.” Bethany won the reserve grand champion award in 2007 for her goat in the Shenandoah County Fair. Ethan won the reserve grand champion goat award in 2010 at the state fair. Despite her brother besting her, Bethany said, “I was happy for him.” He showed the goat, but it was the family’s goat business that produce the champion. “I’ll admit,” Ethan told her, “I learned from you.” Both teens are involved in the Lebanon Church 4-H Club and Seven Bends 4-H Shooting Education Club. Bethany will serve as vice president of the Strasburg High School FFA chapter this year and Ethan will be junior parliamentarian for the chapter. Although Ethan hasn’t figured out what he will do when his showing years are over. Bethany is closer to the end of her career at the fair show barn. She is already looking at colleges to become a veterinarian and continue working with animals.
See more Fair stories on A3